The National League is known as the league with better pitching, lower-scoring games and fewer home runs.
Not on Wednesday.NL games featured a 13-run inning, a nine-run inning, one player homering twice in one inning, a five-homer game from a light-hitting team, two grand slams and a pinch-hit, game-winning home run.
The first game was a portent of what was to come.
In the only afternoon contest, the Montreal Expos had a 13-run, 13-hit, half-hour long sixth inning that was the biggest in franchise history. Mike Lansing hit two homers in the inning as the Expos, who scored an NL-record 18 runs in the fifth and sixth innings, pounded San Francisco 19-3.
Montreal was so successful in its big inning that pitcher Jeff Juden ended up with a rare distinction - making consecutive outs. He made the last out of the fifth on a groundout, and his strikeout was the first out of the sixth.
Henry Rodriguez hit a grand slam to highlight a five-run fifth inning.
Cardinals 14, Phillies 7
In St. Louis, Ray Lankford hit a grand slam to cap a nine-run seventh inning as St. Louis beat Philadelphia.
Pirates 14, Rockies 3
Light-hitting Pittsburgh slugged five home runs at Coors Field to beat Colorado.
Mets 4, Astros 1
Pinch-hitter Butch Huskey's two-run homer in the ninth inning helped visiting New York win at Houston.
Dodgers 4, Reds 2
Ramon Martinez won his ninth straight regular-season start against Cincinnati by pitching eight strong innings for host L.A.
Padres 6, Cubs 3
John Flaherty drove in three runs on three hits, including a homer, as host San Diego beat Chicago.
American Leauge
Yankees 5, Rangers 2
The hits just keep on coming for Tino Martinez, who led New York with his 14th home run of the season. Martinez now has 13 hits in his last 23 at-bats.
Brewers 1, Athletics 0
In the longest 1-0, nine-inning game in major-league history - 3 hours, 20 minutes - Jeff Cirillo's seventh-inning RBI single was the difference.
Indians 7, Blue Jays 1
At Cleveland, the Indians hit four more homers, giving them a major-league leading 59.
Red Sox 11, Twins 3
At Fenway Park, Scott Hatteberg and Reggie Jefferson each hit two homers and drove in four runs for Boston.
Orioles 3, Angels 0
At Baltimore, Jimmy Key (6-0) won his AL-best sixth game with six scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 1.93.
Tigers 12, Royals 3
At Detroit, the Tigers broke out of a scoring slump with homers by Tony Clark, Travis Fryman and Bobby Higginson.